Death... and me

*Pah!*

*Ouch!*

Suddenly, Falangia felt someone knocking on her head. It was none other than Rean, who was obviously much faster than she could react. It didn’t cause any damage, though. Its purpose was simply to make it hurt. ‘Alright, that’s enough now. You are mistaking things here. What you feel is not love but admiration. Because of how much I helped you and your daughter, you obviously grew close to me, but that’s about it.’ Said Rean, still using Divine Sense so Rafatia wouldn’t hear.

Falangia rubbed her head with an angry expression. ‘Do you think I’m an idiot? have you forgotten where I grew up? There is absolutely no way I would mistake love for admiration. There haven’t been many people who I admired before, but I can at least tell the difference.’

Rean shook his head. ‘If that’s the case, then it is one more reason for you to forget it. We haven’t known each other for that long, so your feelings shouldn’t be that strong. I’ll tell you right now. I won’t marry anyone else. I do know that some harems exist in the Realm of Gods. However, where I came from, such a thing is out of the question.’

‘Are you rejecting me just because of some old rules from your home?’ Asked Falangia, not giving up.

Rean shook his head. ‘It’s not only because of some rules. First of all, it’s not like harems were prohibited from where I came either. This is more of an ideology. In my head, I feel like I would be betraying my wife if I really accepted your feelings.’

‘I can talk to your wife then. I’m sure she will understand. Besides, when Rafatia grows older, if she still thinks she wants to marry you too, I won’t intervene. How about that?’ Falangia was going all out. ‘I’m sure that if it is you, then she will be very happy as well.’

*Pah!*

*Ouch!*

‘Enough with the bullshit. Rafatia will have a very long time ahead of her to find someone she actually likes. Besides, I told you before, didn’t I? In my eyes, there’s no difference between Rafatia and yourself. To me, you two are just kids. Now that I think about it, how come you could consider marrying someone so much older than you? I could totally be your grandfather, you know?’

Falangia snorted in response, telling him, ‘Hmph! Do you think I don’t know that? However, look at you, then look at me. I’m nineteen, and I do look to be at my age. However, what about you? Although you’re so much older, your appearance is of someone in their early twenties. Obviously, your age doesn’t bother me at all.’

Rean was already finding this conversation quite complicated. ‘Alright, if all I’ve said before wasn’t enough to dissuade, then it seems I have no choice but to give you the finishing blow.”‘

‘Finishing blow?’ Falangia became confused.

Rean nodded before saying, ‘The main reason I can’t marry you is very simple. I. Don’t. Love. You.’

‘This…’ Falangia’s expression immediately changed when she heard that. Indeed, there was this giant problem. She knew from the very start that Rean didn’t see her as more than a grown child. Naturally, there was no love there. Well, at the very least, not the kind of love between a man and a woman. ‘That’s because you’ve never thought like that about me. Now that you know that I want you as a man, you might change your view of me in the future.’

Rean shook his head, replying, ‘Not gonna happen. I already have someone I love, and I don’t intend to break that. Why don’t you think as I do? I’m giving my wife all the love I have while she’s giving me all the love she has. Isn’t that perfect? Don’t you think it would be unfair if I shared my love between two or more women while they’re giving everything for me?’

‘I… don’t mind receiving only part of it…’ said Falangia, although not very certain.

Rean sighed before he patted the girl’s head. ‘I’m happy that you think like that about me, but it won’t work. Our lives are just too different.’

‘Is it because I’m too weak? You and your brother are at the Elemental Transition Realm, after all. But what about me? I’m just at the Late Stage of the Core Formation Realm, and I only got through my previous breakthroughs because of you and Roan.’

Rean obviously didn’t care about cultivation. He wasn’t the type of person who looked at one’s strength instead of character. ‘I couldn’t possibly think like that. If I did love you, I would simply ignore it. But then again, I won’t lie. The fact that you’re this weak is also an obstacle. What my brother and I are attempting to do, strength is indeed important. There’s no way I could bring you and Rafatia around as the enemies we will face will only get stronger.’

Falangia couldn’t help but ask, ‘Then… what about your wife? Is she as strong as you?’

Rean shook his head in response. ‘I don’t know. Roan and I were separated from our women and friends several years ago. Back then, we were stronger than them, but not by much.’ It was true. Qia and Calina didn’t have dantians that needed three times more Spiritual Energy to fill up. Because of that, not only could they follow the twins’ cultivation level, but they had Roan’s training as well. Rean and Roan were obviously stronger than Calina and Qia, but the two girls could stand ground on their own.

Falangia was surprised to hear that. ‘You got separated?! How did that happen?’

Rean pondered over it for a bit before using Divine Sense to give her a short version of what happened. Of course, Rean left the part that he came from the Mortal Realm out of it and a few other secrets.. For all that mattered, Rean was still someone who was teleported away from another continent in the Realm of Gods.